Solid-state image pickup device

Abstract

A solid-state image pickup device has an image pickup element with a light-receiving surface on which a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells are arranged; a timing circuit, coupled to at least one and less than all of said photoelectric conversion cells of the image pickup element, for generating a timing signal when an output level of the photoelectric conversion cell corresponding to the amount of light incident on the photoelectric conversion cell connected thereto reaches a predetermined reference level; and a data reading unit coordinated with a shutter, coupled to the timing circuit for optically shielding the light-receiving surface of the image pickup element in response to the timing signal. The data reading unit reads image data on the light-receiving surface in an interval following the timing signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A solid-state image pickup device comprising: an image pickup element with a light-receiving surface on which a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells are arranged;   first means, coupled to at least one and less than all of said photoelectric conversion cells of said image pickup element, for generating a timing signal when an output level of said at least one photoelectric conversion cell corresponding to an amount of light incident on said at least one photoelectric conversion cell connected thereto reaches a predetermined reference level;   second means, coupled to said first means, for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal; and   third means, coupled to said first means for reading image data on said light-receiving surface, in an interval following said timing signal, in response to the timing signal.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined reference level of said first means corresponds to a maximum level at which an input light amount vs. output level characteristic of said photoelectric conversion cells is not saturated. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 1, wherein said at least one photoelectric conversion cell coupled to said first means is located substantially at the center of said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said photoelectric conversion cells are coupled to said first means, and said first means is constituted for comparing an average output level of said plurality of said photoelectric conversion cells with the predetermined reference level, said first means generating the timing signal when the average output level coincides with the predetermined reference level. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 3, wherein a plurality of said photoelectric conversion cells are coupled to said first means, and said first means is constituted for comparing an average output level of said plurality of said photoelectric conversion cells with the predetermined reference level, said first means generating the timing signal when the average output level coincides with the predetermined reference level. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 1, wherein said second means includes shutter means for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal, said shutter means being constituted for optically shielding said light-receiving surface while the image data is read. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 3, wherein said second means includes shutter means for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal, said shutter means being constituted for optically shielding said light-receiving surface while the image data is read. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 4, wherein said second means includes shutter means for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal, said shutter means being constituted for optically shielding said light-receiving surface while the image data is read. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 5, wherein said second means includes shutter means for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal, said shutter means being constituted for optically shielding said light-receiving surface while the image data is read. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one photoelectric conversion cell coupled to said first means is located substantially at the center of said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 2, wherein a plurality of said photoelectric conversion cells are coupled to said first means, and said first means is constituted for comparing an average output level of said plurality of said photoelectric conversion cells with the predetermined reference level, said first means generating the timing signal when the average output level coincides with the predetermined reference level. 
     
     
       12. The device of claim 2, wherein said second means includes shutter means for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal, said shutter being constituted for optically shielding said light-receiving surface while the image data is read. 
     
     
       13. The device of claim 11, wherein said second means includes shutter means for optically shielding said light-receiving surface of said image pickup element in response to the timing signal, said shutter means being constituted for optically shielding said light-receiving surface while the image data is read.